News Releases - Emergency Response

EPA issues order to Alyeska Pipeline Service in response to Alaska Pipeline leak

(Seattle – Jan. 12, 2011) In order to protect the environment, water quality and wildlife habitat near Alaska’s North Slope, yesterday the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a Unilateral Administrative Order to the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. The order requires a timely investigation and response to the recent oil leak at Pump Station 1 of the Trans Alaska Pipeline. The order specifies steps that Alyeska must take to comply with federal environmental laws as it responds to the leak and restarts the pipeline.

Under the order, the company will implement the pipeline Restart Plan approved by the Unified Command and take actions to prevent oil spills to the environment during the start up. The restart plan requires Alyeska to increase its spill surveillance program along the full length of the 800-mile long pipeline during start up and to demonstrate that it is prepared to report and respond immediately to any spills that do occur.

“This order directs Alyeska to take all possible steps for a safe start up of the pipeline that protects water quality and the fragile North Slope environment,” said Dennis McLerran, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.

McLerran will be in Alaska starting on Wednesday to oversee first-hand the operations at the Incident Command Center in Fairbanks.